ACA News

SAMHSA's Childhood Trauma Awareness Day

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Expanded Tax Exemption for Higher Ed Expenses Stumbles in the Senate

A plan that would expand tax exemptions to include savings designated for the education needed to obtain a postsecondary credential or a professional license did not make it into the final version of the 2019 Defense, Labor, and Health and Human ...

Senate Approves Bill Expanding Training Support for School-Based Mental Health Professionals

A $10 million training program for school-based mental health support is included in the fiscal year 2019 Labor, HHS and Education Appropriations bill that was overwhelmingly approved by the Senate on the evening of Aug. 23.

One More State Bans Conversion Therapy, Another Runs Out Of Time

Delaware is the 15th state to ban the discredited method referred to as conversion or reparative therapy from being used on minors—and Massachusetts lost its bid to become the 16th state to do so, after a last-minute approval didn’t make ...

Legislation Pending to Protect Student-Loan Borrowers from Losing State-Issued Licenses

Americans are more burdened by student-loan debt than ever. Today, 70 percent of college students graduate with significant loan debt, according to a CNBC report. More than 44 million borrowers owe more than $1.5 trillion in student loans, according ...

VA Issues New Qualification Standards for Professional Counselors

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) issued important new qualification standards for licensed professional counselors on April 3, a step the American Counseling Association has been pushing the agency to take for many years. The revised standards ...

ACA Opposes Ohio Bill Requiring Teachers, Counselors to ?Out? Transgender Kids to Parents

The American Counseling Association strongly opposes H.B. 658, a measure in the Ohio General Assembly that would require professional counselors and teachers to ?out? transgender children and youth to their parents.

ACA Asks White House to End Forced Family Separations at U.S. Border

The American Counseling Association called on the Trump Administration to immediately end its practice of separating children from their families at the international border and ports of entry. The practice, part of the Administration?s new ?zero ...

Conversion Therapy Bans Become Law in Three More States

New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu (R), Maryland Governor Larry Hogan (R) and Hawaii Governor David Ige (D) recently signed into law in their states measures that ban the practice of conversion therapy on minors. The new laws impose fines, or license ...

New Hampshire, Maryland Conversion Therapy Bans Become Law

ACA Supports the New Laws The governor of New Hampshire, Chris Sununu, and the governor of Maryland, Larry Hogan, recently signed into law measures that would ban the practice of conversion therapy on minors. The bills would impose fines or license ...

Gun Violence Trauma: ACA Offers Free Resources for Counselors

ACA members?and all professional counselors?are fully prepared to assist anyone in need of support following an episode of trauma.

New Bill Authorizes Medicare Reimbursement for Counselors as Part of the Fight Against Opioids

Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) introduced a bill April 17 that takes a multi-pronged approach to combatting the opioid epidemic and includes language that would allow mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists to participate in the ...

Maryland Legislature Passes Conversion Therapy Bill

The Maryland State Legislature recently passed a measure that would ban the practice of conversion therapy on minors. The bill now goes to Governor Hogan for his signature. The legislation would impose fines or license suspension or revocation on ...

Get Ready. April is Counseling Awareness Month!

Each year, the American Counseling Association designates April as Counseling Awareness Month. The celebration, first held in 2002, was created to recognize the important work done by professional counselors and to draw attention to the many ways ...

ACA Member Support Helped to Significantly Increase Funding for Student Mental Health Programs

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! The American Counseling Association (ACA) thanks its members for supporting ACA efforts to increase funding for the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grant Program (SSAE). You heard our call. With support from ...

Medicare Reimbursement Measure Builds Momentum

The American Counseling Association’s signature legislative priority—Medicare reimbursement for Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs)—gained support and momentum in three ways over the past few weeks. As a result, everyone in favor ...

American Counseling Association and the American School Counselor Association Announce New Collaborative Relationship

The American Counseling Association (ACA) and the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) are pleased to announce a new collaborative relationship that will support continued growth of both organizations as we continue to serve the best interests ...

Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY): Health Care Advocate, Champion of Counseling for Veterans

?We are saddened by the sudden death of Congresswoman Louise Slaughter,? American Counseling Association CEO Richard Yep said.

In Support of Counselors and Students Seeking a Reduction in Gun Violence

The American Counseling Association recently adopted a resolution calling for more school counselors to support children affected by gun trauma.

Washington State Passes Bill Banning Conversion Therapy on Minors

The Washington State Legislature passed a measure that bans conversion therapy on minors. Washington Governor Jay Inslee (D) is expected to sign the bill soon. (This bill was signed into law by the governor on March 28th.) The legislation would impose ...